


Meet Me in the Coffee Shop

by fuckinqueen



Series: Meronia Event 2021 [2]
Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: (well duh… or else he wouldn't be a select mute), American Sign Language, Angst, Bittersweet, Bittersweet Ending, Coffee Shop, He's just remembering it, Hopeful Ending, Internal Contemplating, JAYSUS I'm so weird at writing fanfics, Just thought that should be a tag, M/M, Meronia Event 2021, Reunion, Trauma, i dunno, oof, past trauma, really - Freeform, selective mutism, this really has a bittersweet feel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:41:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29256135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuckinqueen/pseuds/fuckinqueen
Summary: Day 2: February 15 - Reunion
Relationships: Mello | Mihael Keehl/Near | Nate River
Series: Meronia Event 2021 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2148141
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14
Collections: Meronia Event (Feb 14 - Feb 20 2021)





	Meet Me in the Coffee Shop

Near fiddles with a toy robot, looking down at it and seeming as normal as someone with white hair can in a coffee shop. A café; if you will. Several times in the two hours he's been waiting, he's been close to being thrown out, but he just keeps spending whatever money he can find on his person, and whenever the waiter or waitress asks what he wants, he shrugs with one shoulder and signs in ASL, _surprise me._ He doesn't know if they all understand, but maybe one of them does, or maybe at some point they got it, because they give him some random tea, or coffee. He's not particularly a fan of coffee, but it might might him if he throws up. Even if it burn when - _if_ \- he does. 

_He'll show. He has to. He said he would._ Near thinks this worriedly, beginning to twirl some of his hair between two of his fingers. He does have every right to be worried, though. He hasn't seen Mello in four years, since the boy left Wammy's after L died. 

He must admit: he _has_ missed the brash, angry blonde. Him. _Near_ has missed Mello. Missed _anyone._ Near mourned L, and still does, still misses him, but now Mello's added to the mix. It's quite strange for him. Not that it is too far out of the realm of possibility, Near is human after all. He just doesn't… particularly enjoy it. 

That's something Mello used to tease him about. Or, more accurately, bully him about. About how all he said was "he doesn't particularly enjoy" everything. It's quite incorrect, but who was Near to tell Mello?

Near was incredibly intimidated by Mello, when he was younger. He didn't like being close to the older male, because it caused so many bad things to happen. Mello would break his toys, knock his towers down, and ruin a project that Near would be working on. 

It wasn't too bad though. There was something about Mello that brought Near closer to him. Some kind of magnetic force. After a while, Near thought Mello felt it too, because whenever Near did manage to get away, instead the blonde showed up. It kind of felt like a game of tag.

Mello didn't feel the same, as it turns out. He just was obsessed with Near's success and grades and mysterious personality. As well as he was fascinated, and possessive. Near was okay with that, because the first time they kissed… it all didn't matter.

Mello had initiated the first kiss. He was trying to gauge Near's reaction. A little while after, when they separated, Mello admitted that if it made Near happy, he'd be okay with it. They were ten and twelve then. Quite young, innocent. Well… as innocent as orphans can be. Something scarring had happened to Mello before he went to Wammy's. That killed his parents while he was there. Maybe that's why Mello kissed Near when they were both very young…? Because his head wasn't right? Or because he was in a bad spot?

They stayed in this relationship up until Near stopped speaking. Which was right after he accidentally caused a death. And watched it happen helplessly.

It's better if there are as little details as possible. All that is needed to know is it was a little girl that was twelve, Near's age at the time, and Near and her were playing with skipping rope. They each had their own. They had gotten tangled in them several times before, because they did it side by side so they could whisper and still hear each other. They really shouldn't have been that close. And it was Near's idea. 

They got stuck that time, too. Tangled up in each other's and fell to the ground. They were both wrapped in it. Near's wrists were knotted together like it was handcuffs. Hers was wrapped tightly around her neck, and she was scrabbling to undo it.

The thing that gives Near nightmares to this day is how she gave up near the end and just smiled slightly at him. He can never forgive himself. 

After, he was silent. He stopped speaking, and just made signs. After, of course, he stopped staring blankly at walls and not responding. After that, he cried all the time. Never again after that. Not even now. He's learned to put on a mask and not get too close to people. He still doesn't trust himself. 

He learned American Sign Language after, and Mello learned with him, saying that it was a good skill, even though Near can still hear.

Near pulls his head out of the past, wincing. He grits his teeth and takes a long sip of whatever drink he has now. He has to remind himself that he'll be okay… because it will be. Even though it's been five years, it _will_ be. It has to be. Sometime. 

Near has contemplated getting a therapist at several points during those five years. In the beginning, others mentioned it to him, but he eas too busy either being in shock and not responding, or learning ASL, then ignoring everyone, and then Mello left and the Kira case… he's busy. Although he's thought more about it for himself in stead of someone mentioning it recently. He thinks it could help, but… he's busy. Kira case. He can't just abandon it just to get therapy, even if it's only one day a week for an hour. That still takes out a lot more of his time.

Near looks up from twirling small circles on his toy robot's head when the door opens. Sure enough, a blonde with chin-length hair steps in, and their body is a slim figure and leather-clad. Although Near hasn't seen Mello in a bit, and certainly not in leather, it's a straight giveaway. Epsecially the all-black. 

The figure goes over to the counter and talks for a second. And then Mello begins laughing. It's a light, beautiful sound. 

Finally, Mello meanders over to Near's table, in a slow fashion he never used to have. The closer he gets, Near can see more of his face, and realizes that there's a large scar on his face… and traveling down his neck. A little on his shoulder and arm. So the blonde hadn't gotten uninjured when he blew up the Mafia base. 

Mello stops directly in front of Near, and promptly sticks his hand out. (Does he not remember that Near doesn't like to be touched?) 

"Hi. I'm Mello, nice to meet you."


End file.
